SOBER POLITICS

VETERAN politician Vernon Mwaanga is right that those in government must not be allergic to criticism and must be able to listen to divergent views.

Since Zambians have chosen democracy as a form of government, they must appreciate and demonstrate democratic tenets.

That, as Dr Mwaanga pointed out at the weekend demands all Zambians across the political divide calls for respect as they all strive to serve the nation.

He said the governing United Party for National Development (UPND) should be able to accommodate divergent views and be tolerant to criticism for that is what democratically elected governments should endeavour for the sake of accountability.

In the same vein, said Dr Mwaanga, opposition political parties ought to be sober in their language as they offer checks and balances and that the ruling party should accommodate their views because that was what democracy demanded.

He said every democratically elected government needed a responsible and serious opposition which would ensure that the government of the day was held accountable to the people who elected them.

“There are bound to be honest disagreements between the government and opposition political parties. These are normal and should be expected.

Democracy recognises and accommodates these differences. Even when there are differences, they must be expressed in sober language and should not be used to insult,” Dr Mwaanga said.

We feel Dr Mwaanga’s wise counsel is apt coming in the wake of the recent statement issued by the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops on the state of the nation.

The bishops in their statement sounded an alarm on an array of national issues including governance, the fight against corruption, rule of law, moral decay, unemployment, constitutionalism, caderism and the human rights situation among others.

The Bishops observed the need to re-look into the constitution and other pieces of legislation, expressed concern on regional and tribal sentiments, as well as high unemployment and poverty levels, among others.

The Catholic Bishops also stated that the manner in which the Kabushi and Kwacha parliamentary by-elections were conducted was unacceptable and left much to be desired and that it was a recipe for violence if left uncorrected.

These are some of the contentious issues which have brought about heated debate among the main political players.

Of course we should not forgotten the controversial decision by the new dawn administration to

hire foreign accounting firms to audit the various

defence wings in clear breach of the constitution that Government failed to defend in the National Assembly.

The major opposition party, the Patriotic Front has already warned about starting the impeachment process which the UPND says is a waste of time.

But even as the process plays itself out, it is important for Government and the opposition parties to be courteous in the manner they debate the issue.

What is important for the government is to listen to the arguments raised by their opponents for

the defence audit has wider ramifications that they

must consider.

This is the more reason Dr Mwaanga has warned against careless talk among politicians, which he fears has the potential to create tension and anarchy in the country.

Democracy demands that those in government and opposition ranks work together. That was the wish of the founding fathers which must be respected at all times.

PURSUING JUSTICE AND EQUITY WITH INTERGRITY